Afrodisias view

The southern Agora, between the North Agora and the Theater, was developed as a secondary public square between the 1st and mid 2nd century AD. The earliest building in the South Agora was its north portico, dedicated to the emperor Tiberius (AD 14-37). The frieze of this portico was carved with a chain of garlands hanging from carved masks depicting a variety of Greek theatrical characters. The west and south sides of the South Agora were later also enclosed by colonnaded porticos. Behind these lay important civic buildings: the Hadrianic Baths on the west and the Civil Basilica (a large public hall) and Theatre on the south. Direct access from the South Agora to the theatre was provided by a covered passageway still visible in the massive retaining wall in the southeast corner of the area. The east side of the South Agora was closed off by a tall columnar façade, richly decorated with statues. The most remarkable feature of the South Agora was along ornamental pool, which runs down the center of the area. The east and west ends of this pool were revealed in excavations in the 1980s, while the middle portion remains unexcavated.

Kaandorp
The so-called Porticoes of Tiberius (about 212 by 60 m.), originally a gymnasion (for sports), but probably also used as an agora. The shot is from high up on the hill of the big theatre, so from SE. Yes, you see a (swimming?-) pool in the middle, a very elongated and elliptic structure. It caught the waters coming down fron the East - consequence of the IVth cent. earthquake - and fed Hadrian's Baths at the very Western end of the area.

M.E.Koyluoglu

29-May-2007 09:46

The semi circled area is a pool and the area around is agora (Market Place). The lenght of the pool is more than 200 meters. Here you cannot see the full pool, because this picture was taken before full exavation. It is said that, after the big earthquake in the 7th Century, the underground waters had covered the market area.The architects of the city had solved the problem by constructing a pool and thus, saved the agora area.

Hüseyin Erkut

12-Nov-2006 02:43

Here what you see is used to be a water cannal but later was filled and constructed. it is a part of Agora surronded by collonades. I think the semicircle shape was a tiny theatre